Monday, March 31, 2014

Daddy and Company is one of my favorite places to find unique and special gifts for my husband. After all, being a dad is his favorite thing! They offer really fantastic products like daddy pajamas, frames, shirts... and my all time favorite.. the Daddy Scrubs. So when I was offered the opportunity to review one of their products I jumped at it.

I love this Scrubba Dub Dub with Daddy Duck and Rubber Duck gift set because it's something my husband can enjoy with my kids. We were happy to give it a try at bath time and it was a hit all around. The book is filled with a sweet story about a daddy duck and his ducklings taking a bath and getting ready for bed. The fun rhymes make it a quick and enjoyable read. I loved watching my husband read this story to my little ducklings while they splashed and played with the rubber ducky.

This would make an adorable gift for any daddy who loves to have fun and splash around with his little ones. The duck and book are high quality and I feel like they will last a really long time. I have yet to be disappointed with a Daddy and Company product...and this one is no exception!

I would highly recommend you check out their website to see all their fun products! And you can save 10% on your order by using code BLOG14.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Our family is a Purex family. We love the laundry detergent and we always stock up when we see it on sale at our local grocery store. I have also become quite fond of the Purex Crystals. They are so incredibly easy to use. You simply toss the crystals in with your laundry and they come out smelling so fresh. And I have found that the fresh scent really does last for weeks. There is nothing better than opening your linen closet and getting a breath of fresh scent. Oh.. and then wrapping up in that soft, fresh smelling towel. Amazing.

So I was super excited to try the new Limited Edition scent.... Fabulously Fresh. Well, the name pretty much says it all. I have fallen in love with this scent and will have to stock up before it disappears! I poured some into the cap to get a whiff and had to run and let my husband smell it, too. Then my daughter wanted to take a sniff. We all agreed it was really fabulously fresh.

So on my next load of towels I added my new crystals and waited patiently to see how they smelled after going through the wash. Purex didn't fail me. The towels came out fresh and have been smelling fresh every since. And they don't reduce the absorbency of my towels, which is really important.

These crystals have now become part of my regular laundry routine. I have upgraded from using them on my towels to using them on everything.... even my 1 year old's clothing. And I have noticed that the fresh scent has been lingering in closets and bedrooms... making everything smell fresher. Which we really need since our windows have been sealed shut for months. It's like a little burst of spring!

SWEEPSTAKES

Purex is having an amazing sweepstakes right now where you could win a $1,000 shopping spree plus a year's supply of NEW Purex Crystals Limited Edition Fabulously Fresh! Click HERE to enter!

Purex Crystals Limited Edition Fabulously Fresh became available in March, so keep your eyes open at your local stores and grab a bottle when you see one. Then give it a try and let me know what you think. Plus... one lucky reader can win a coupon to try these new crystals for FREE!

Friday, March 28, 2014

From the world of “Peter Pan” comes “The Pirate Fairy,” a swashbuckling new adventure about Zarina (voice of Christina Hendricks), a smart and ambitious dust-keeper fairy who’s captivated by Blue Pixie Dust and its endless possibilities. When Zarina’s wild ideas get her into trouble, she flees Pixie Hollow and joins forces with the scheming pirates of Skull Rock, who make her captain of their ship. Tinker Bell (voice of Mae Whitman) and her friends must embark on an epic adventure to find Zarina, and together they go sword-to-sword with the band of pirates led by a cabin boy named James (voice of Tom Hiddleston), who’ll soon be known as Captain Hook himself. With laughter, heart, magic and thrills, “The Pirate Fairy” sets sail April 1, 2014.

My Thoughts:
My daughter has been asking to see this movie for weeks. Every time a commercial would come on she would stop whatever she was doing and watch in awe. So when the long awaited day came that she got to watch it she was over the moon excited! So we all settled in for a family movie night....

This was a fantastic family film. My husband and I were as interested in the story as my daughter was. We were all thoroughly entertained! I have been a fan of the Tinkerbell movies for awhile. I think they are fun and I love the friendships that these fairies have formed, all while being very different. But this movie is definitely my favorite. I think it's because it really links in with Peter Pan, one of my all time favorite Disney movies.

I love how you are introduced to a young Captain Hook. His character is quite sneaky and greedy... but he really had me fooled at first! Throughout the movie there are little bits of Neverland that make you smile - Skull Rock, the 2nd star to the right, and the most adorable baby crocodile! And if you always wondered why he tick-tocked... this is your chance to find out! And there is a very special appearance at the end of the movie. I won't tell you who it is... you just have to see it!

So as I sit here writing this review... my daughter is asking me to put the movie in again and play fairies with her. I am off to Neverland! And be sure to check out these awesome activities to add to the magic. We will be doing these later this afternoon to keep the fun going.

Lions and tigers and bears... and WOLVES-oh, my! Acclaimed nature writer and illustrator Jim Arnosky introduces awe-inspiring wild predators: carnivores that survive by tooth and claw. Follow the huge paw prints of big cats like the African lion and the speedy cheetah; of massive bears like the fierce grizzly; and the gray wolf- forerunner of your own pet dog. One spectacular double gatefold plus two single foldouts present the animals up close and lifelike.

My Thoughts:
The minute I looked at this book all I could think about was how amazing the illustrations are. The cover really took me in because of the detail and beauty that is portrayed while still showing just how ferocious a beautiful bear can be.

I knew I wanted to give this book to my dad, who has a true love and interest in wild animals, so that he could share it with my daughter. It was really nice watching them turn each page and get excited about what animal was going to be up next. The foldouts are stunning and engaging. They were both so interested in this book and all of the fun facts inside.

This book is beautiful and educational. While some could look at this cover and say it looks to frightening I fell it's full of important information. The book is intended for children ages 6-10, so it may not be the best choice for a toddler. But my daughter is almost 5 and she has a real appreciation and understanding for what is being taught in this book. These animals are predators. They hunt to survive and you should have a healthy fear of them. My daughter adores her teddy bear, but now she knows not to approach a bear in the wild. They are beautiful creatures... but they are wild animals. This book is really wonderful!

Thursday, March 27, 2014

On March 22nd the cast of Disney's ThePirate Fairy celebrated it's world premiere!

The all-new swashbuckling film from the latest Tinker Bell adventure comes, The Pirate Fairy, which follows a smart and ambitious dust-keeper fairy named Zarina who's captivated by Blue Pixie Dust and its endless possibilities. When her wild ideas get her into trouble, she flees Pixie Hollow and joins forces with the scheming pirates of Skull Rock, who make her caption of their ship. Tinker Bell and her friends embark on an epic adventure to find Zarina, and together they go sword-to-sword with the band of pirates led by a cabin boy named James, who'll soon be known as Captain Hook himself. With laughter, heart, magic and thrills, "The Pirate Fairy" sets sail April 1st on Blu-ray ™ and Digital HD.

We are so excited to do our own special "premiere" of this movie tonight. Check back soon for my review... of course with input from my daughter!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Each year, Rabbit plays Easter Bunny, but this year, he’s decided it’s “Spring Cleaning Day,” and he orders everyone to hop to it: scrubbing, dusting, and mopping. All his pals are disappointed – especially little Roo – until Rabbit learns that putting others first and showing friends how much you care turns every day into a precious gift. Sparkling with unforgettable songs and a never-before-seen bonus treat, this delightful “egg-stravaganza” shows why love, hope and friendship are always in full bloom in the Hundred Acre Wood!

Monday, March 10, 2014

I know it may sound weird to be excited to share a new soap with you. But in a house with two little ones we spend a good part of our day washing hands. So I know my soaps and I know what I'm looking for to keep their little hands from getting too dry but also washing the germs away. So I am excited to tell you about NEW Dial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap.

We received a box with two fabulous scents to try - Water Blossoms and Coconut Lime Verbena (the third scent available is Yellow Raspberry and Black Sugar). My daughter was excited to be part of our review and hurried to the sink to give them a try!

She decided to start with the Water Blossoms because blue is her current favorite color.

This scent "invigorates with a crisp floral scnet inspired by aquatic botanicals." To me it smelled

fresh and clean. She really liked the scent!

After giving the soap a try she gave the two thumbs up approval and has been using the soap every day since. I was lucky enough to get to take the Coconut Lime Verbena soap to my bathroom and it reminds me of summer! I love the refreshing scent and it takes me away to a tropical island (only for a minute until I look back out the window and see the snow... but that minute is wonderful!).

I really love this soap because it has a gentle micro-scrubber formula that smooths and moisturizes the skin. With the cold, dry months and the amount of washing we do to avoid germs it is so important that my kids hands don't get dried out. So this is a major plus for me. I also really like the design of the bottles and feel like they look nicer on our counters. And they are a great size so they will last awhile!

I will definitely be looking for these new deep cleansing hand soaps from Dial at my local stores. They are the perfect family soap to keep us clean, healthy, and moisturized.

My family always gets excited when a new SUPERPRETZEL product comes out because we are big fans. We are always stocking up on different kinds of SUPERPRETZELS for parties, play dates, and just to have on hand for lunches and snacks. With a picky four year old in the house... when you find something they like you keep it in stock!

This fun package arrived on our doorstep and the whole family wanted to check them out. My husband got very excited to see Buffalo as one of the flavors because he loves a little spice. My daughter was anxious to try the Cheddar flavor. So we popped them in the oven and used them as our family movie night snack.

These Softstix were a big hit. The soft pretzel outside was soft yet crisp, just as a pretzel should be. The cheese inside was soft and there was plenty of it. You really do get a burst of cheese in every bite. We will definitely be looking for these at our local grocery store. And with April being National Pretzel Month we will be sure to stock up on all kinds of SUPERPRETZEL products and celebrate every chance we can!

Be sure to follow SUPERPRETZEL on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest news!

* I received 3 boxes of SUPERPRETZELS from the company for review purposed. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Friday, March 7, 2014

An elephant in the sky? A peacock in the sea? Are creatures hiding where they shouldn't be? Lift the large flaps, follow the romping rhyme, and find each face that's out of place.

Graphic artist Craig Shuttlewood whisks kids from desert to forest to ocean deep - and finally to the zoo, where the only one who doesn't fit is YOU! His outstanding debut introduces the idea of where animals (and humans) live - and will delight kids over and over again.

Craig Shuttlewood is an author and illustrator whose quirky images and animations have been used in advertising, design, and publishing. His clients have included Orion Children's Books, Sainsbury magazine, and Getty Images, and his art has been exhibited in galleries from London to New York. Craig lives in Brighton, England with his partner and their daughter. This is his first book.

Published by Sterling Children's Books

My Thoughts:
Craig Shuttlewood hit a home run with his first book! My kids were both so enthralled with this silly, fun, and engaging book. Lift-the-flap books have always been a favorite with my children. While this book is geared towards children ages 3 to 5, my 1 year old was as excited as my 4 year old to check out who is hiding where they don't belong!

This book provided my daughter and I the opportunity to talk and learn as we went on an adventure. We were laughing out loud as we talked about where the animals do and don't belong.

*I received a free copy of this book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

“Baby sail the seven seas
Safely in my arms
When the waves go up and down
You are safe from harm.”
From Margaret Wise Brown, author of the beloved Goodnight Moon, comes a previously unpublished collection of charming lullabies, gorgeously illustrated by 12 award-winning artists. The roster of celebrated names includes Carin Berger, whose The Little Yellow Leaf was a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book; Eric Puybaret, who brought the bestselling Puff, the Magic Dragon to life on the page; Coretta Scott King Honor Award winner Sean Qualls; and Caldecott Honor medalist Melissa Sweet. An accompanying CD, with lilting songs beautifully composed and sung by Emily Gary and Tom Proutt, makes this the perfect gift to wish children a sweet goodnight.

My Thoughts:
This book is one of those books that you will treasure for years... even after your children grow up. You will look back on it with tears in your eyes as you remember looking at the gorgeous illustrations and reading the beautiful words of Margaret Wise Brown with your children.

I sat down with my two little ones and we turned page by page and found a completely different tale... a completely different picture... and we couldn't stop turning the pages. Each page brought about different emotions through the words and the pictures. It is truly a unique and amazing collection. Something for children and their parents to share and enjoy together.

My family is really enjoying this book. My daughter already has her favorite poems that she wants read to her again and again. We have enjoyed laying in bed and listening to the beautiful CD together. There is just so much to offer in one book. It's a treasure.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

A family event movie from the creators of “Coraline” and “ParaNorman” that introduces audiences to a new breed of family – The Boxtrolls, a community of quirky, mischievous creatures who have lovingly raised an orphaned human boy named Eggs (voiced by Isaac Hempstead-Wright) in the amazing cavernous home they’ve built beneath the streets of Cheesebridge. When the town’s villain, Archibald Snatcher (Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley), comes up with a plot to get rid of the Boxtrolls, Eggs decides to venture above ground, “into the light,” where he meets and teams up with fabulously feisty Winnifred (Elle Fanning). Together, they devise a daring plan to save Eggs’ family.